Mike Jones admits he can't get racing out of his blood.

"We keep messing with boats," Jones said.

Jones and his wife Lori have tried to sell the U-9 unlimited, which is racing this weekend as the Miss VisitTRI-CITIES.com.

"If somebody were to come along and make the right offer, we'd sell it," Mike said.

Meanwhile, the Joneses are racing the boat in the Tri-Cities and Seattle, and then they'll decided about San Diego.

But this isn't the boat's first race this season.

The U-9 was leased a few weeks ago to the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto for the Detroit Gold Cup.

The truck hauling the boat broke down in Spokane on the way to Detroit.

After a serious delay, the team got to Detroit.

Jon Zimmerman was hired to drive for Steve David, who was injured in an accident in Madison, Ind., during the Indiana Governor's Cup.

"We finally get the boat into the water with just five minutes left in qualifying," Mike Jones said. "Jon got into it for the first time and ran almost 150 mph in that first lap."

Jones is willing to do even more this year.

"They keep talking about needing boats for exhibition races in China," he said. "Let us know, we'll help."